


Library Confessions

by Malteser24



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-16
Updated: 2014-10-16
Packaged: 2018-02-21 11:14:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2466218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Malteser24/pseuds/Malteser24
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>*Set after Goblet of Fire* </p><p>Ron and Hermione knew they could tell each other anything. Harry already had too much to deal with; they knew all of each other's secrets. Except for one.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Library Confessions

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first EVER romione/harry potter fandom fic. I wrote it for a friend and decided to post it on here. 
> 
> I do not own any characters in this related to J.K Rowling, or Harry Potter.
> 
> All Harry Potter characters belong to J.K Rowling; I do not gain any profit from this.

She was sitting at a table; a book in her hands, when he walked in. He wasn't surprised; he could always find her with her nose in a book these days. Maybe that's just how she coped; he knew better than anyone how hard things were for her.

After all, he was the one she spilled her secrets to; late in the night when everyone else was asleep. When the moon was high and the corridors silent, they would sneak into the common room and sit together on the couch; his arms around her, her head resting on his shoulder. He would wipe away the stray tears, hold her tight when the sobs racked her body, rubbed her arms, her back and brought her closer to the fire when her body started to shake in the cold.

"Another book, Hermione? Haven't you read enough?" She looked up, eyes bright. She smiled once she saw who it was; marking her place and shutting the book slowly, precisely; as she did everything.

"I'll never read enough books Ron, you know that." He pulled out the seat next to her and sat down.

"What brings you here, anyway?" She asked.

"I was looking for you." He shrugged.

"How did you know you would find me here? I could have been anywhere, Hogwarts is a big place."

"True. I can always find you here though. It's your safe place, remember?"

She nodded slowly. She remembered, she remembered exactly. She always did. She remembered his hand stroking her back, she remembered his soothing words; she remembered telling him how she always felt content and safe in the library; surrounded by rows and rows of books. She remembered telling him how she loved the scent of books, how they felt, how the words swam from the pages and into her mind.

She also remembered how badly she wanted to kiss him, under the shine of moonlight, the warm glow of the fire bouncing off his face. She hadn't told him that, of course. She was a sensible girl, and that would have been an impractical thing to do.

"Where's Harry?" She asked, trying to clear her thoughts.

"I don't know, I think I saw him by the lake; he's always down there these days." He shrugged again, and she simply nodded. She placed a hand on her book; unsure if the conversation was continuing or not.

Ron cleared his throat, and she looked over at him. There were light shadows under his eyes, his face looked drained and tired.

"Ron, have you been sleeping?" She asked, concerned.

"Yes. No. Sometimes. It's kind of hard these days, you know? Everything's just so hectic; no one even knows what's going to happen next." She nodded slowly. She knew as well as he did.

"I used to be so excited to come to Hogwarts. My parents went, Bill went, Charlie went. Percy was a stickler about it, but Fred and George always had these stories. They used to tell me about all the things they did, all the things they learnt. The pranks they pulled. I was so happy because I was going to learn how to fly on a broomstick; I was going to become a famous Quidditch player. There were just so many things I couldn't wait to do. I didn't expect all this, I thought going to Hogwarts would be fun but it's really just been stressful. I can't even recall the amount of times I've got injured, or just escaped death. This wasn't how it was supposed to be."

Hermione was stuck between a rock and a hard place. She wanted to hug Ron, to rub small circles on his back and whisper soothing words, to tell him that everything would be okay but she couldn't. She couldn't promise him that, because she didn't know. And what if she did hug him, and her heart fluttered. What would she do then? Hermione was very confused, and she didn't like it.

Unfortunately for her, there was a sniffling boy beside her, and she wasn't heartless. Logical and rational sure, but not heartless.

So she took a leap into the deep end, and extended her arm out, hugging Ron side on. He leaned in to her. She hoped Ron couldn't hear how hard and fast her heart was beating.

Not that she liked Ron. She didn't. He was her friend, nothing more. And she didn't want it to be anything more...did she?

"I can't say everything will be alright Ron, because I don't know. But I can promise you won't be alone."

He looked up at her, eyes shining with tears.

"Harry and I will stay by your side. That's what friends are for, aren't they?" The words rushed out, her cheeks heating up. It was just the room, it was too warm.

Ron nodded, but when she looked at him he looked sad, almost disappointed.

He removed himself from her hold, wiping his nose and eyes, sniffing quietly.

"I'm sorry; I got tears and stuff on your jumper."

"It's alright. It can always be washed. Are you okay?" She asked. Ron was being ridiculous. The state of her clothes didn't matter, not when he had been crying. Surely he knew that.

"I think so. Maybe, I don't know. I don't think I'm okay at all anymore." He stared at the table; his stare was so strong it looked as if he was trying to drill a hole in the wood.

"Ron, I can't help you unless you tell me. Is there anything else going on?"

Ron shook his head, then sighed deeply.

"Ilikesomeone." He mumbled; the words too quiet and rushed for Hermione to hear.

"Pardon? I didn't quite hear you, could you repeat that?"

"I like someone." He said a little louder, a little bit slower; and Hermione felt her heart fall. She ignored it.

"What is the problem then?"

"They don't know."

"So why don't you tell them."

"I don't think she likes me back."

"You won't know if you don't ask."

"She went to the Yule Ball with someone else. She doesn't like me."

"Why didn't you ask her?"

"I was too nervous."

"And you don't think she likes you back?"

Ron shook his head.

"I know she doesn't."

"I still think you should tell her."

Ron was silent, and Hermione started to worry she had said something wrong.

"It's you." His voice was quiet, so quiet Hermione was certain she had misheard him.

"Pardon?"

"It's you Hermione. You're the one I like; you're the one I was too scared to ask to the ball, you're the one who doesn't like me back." He stood up, his chair scraping back.

He started to run out of the library, and Hermione found herself chasing him. It was illogical, and if the librarian caught them they would both be in trouble for certain, but she realized she didn't care. Ron was running away and she needed to tell him how she felt.

"Ronald! Wait!" He stopped and turned, and she ran into him. He caught her, helping her stand up straight. She brushed and straightened her outfit, turning to him with a fierce gaze.

"You can't just say you like me and then run off. You're not a coward, and that is a coward's act."

"Sure I can. I am a coward, Hermione."

Hermione suppressed the urge to slap him; it was hard.

"You're not a coward." She repeated. "You're an idiot."

"I'm a...why am I an idiot?"

"Because you think I don't like you back."

She delicately placed a hand on his shoulder, and he just stared at her.

"You like me?" He asked.

"Of course I do." She said, as if it was the simplest thing in the world. And, he supposed, it was.

He reached up and brushed a curl from her face, tucking it behind her ear. Her skin buzzed where his fingers brushed, and she sighed softly.

"May I kiss you?" He asked, his voice soft and quiet. She nodded, and he cupped her cheek in his hand. She leaned in to the touch. He pulled her close, slowly, and she let him. Their lips met, her lips soft and plump against his vaguely chapped ones. It was a little messy, as most first kisses are, but they both found it perfect.

"That was nice." Hermione said, when they pulled away.

"Yeah."

She looked around, noticing the lack of students.

"We should probably get back to the common room; we're the only ones left."

Ron nodded, and together they walked back to the dormitories, hand in hand.

That night they didn't whisper any secrets, but they did stay in the common room. Harry found them in the middle of the night, curled up on the couch; Hermione's head on Ron's chest. Harry smiled, pulling a blanket over them and stoking the fire, so it would last during the night.

 _About time._ He thought.


End file.
